I've searched the forum and have not found the answer... I'm hoping I didn't jump the gun by ordering a relay for my spindle motor. I'm using the Toshiba TB6560 controller and I want to control the spindle ON/OFF function using Mach3. Am I over looking something? I can't seem to find anything about doing this..Please tell me this can be done with this controller

As you may have noticed, there are other controller boards using the Toshiba 6560 chip. The Zen controller enclosed model 2010 has pin-outs for controlling a 5VDC relay, but the 2011 model does not. There was some discussion here:http://forums.zentoolworks.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=89So far I just switch my spindle motor manually and am comfortable doing that at the moment, but it would be convenient to have the gcode control the motor for some operations, such as a pause in the program to allow changing bits.In the absence of that feature in the controller board, an option would be a parallel port breakout board. I'll be building one in the future to take better advantage of the controller software.

I'm starting to get the idea that this is not going to be possible with my current board.... sooooo.... I guess I would be interested in your breakout board when you get it done Can't I just tie into pin 14 and use the relay that way? I really don't know what is coming from pin 14 but I've seen it references else ware.

BTW, My TB6560 is the one that looks like it was made in the 50's with the huge resistors and such. Not putting it down, it just looks like old tech.

Sure, you could connect your 5VDC relay to the PC parallel port, but you'd run the risk of damaging the PC with possible shorts, voltage spikes, or the relay drawing too much current. Best to isolate each of your PC's parallel port pins from the outside world with a component such as an optical coupler/opto-isolator. If you enjoy building electronic circuits, there are breakout board kits out there and of course ready made ones.Barebones for plugging in and connecting your own components:http://www.winfordeng.com/products/brk25_parallel.phpReady made, but would at least require a connector to pass through signals to the TB6560 controller:http://www.probotix.com/breakout_boards/pbx-rf_isolated_breakout_board/another:http://campbelldesigns.net/breakout-board.phpBy the way, TB6560 is the chip that drives the stepper motor. Some controller boards with this chip have different features, but call themselves by the chip's number and so adds to the confusion. One of these included a relatively inexpensive 12VDC regulator chip on the board so that a single power source of from 12VDC to 35VDC could be used for both the steppers and the electronics, unlike the 2011 model which requires a separate 9-12VDC input.

Do I need to isolate all pins or can I only isolate pin 14 by itself some how? Otherwise, for the cost, I might as well buy another controller board that has the relay option. I've seen it in a diagram and thought that was what I was getting in the kit. I asked after I ordered which controller board I would be getting (reading WIKI after I ordered)and didn't know which had want features before I ordered. It wasn't an option to get a board that had the relay option, at least is wasn't in the zentoolworks online store or I surely would have chosen it.

Also, I'm a little confused about your last statement. You said, "unlike the 2011 model which requires a separate to9-12VDC input." Mine requires a 7 to 9v and a 12v power supply. I was under the impression that this board was the previously used board before the 2010 version (which I originally thought I would be getting) came out .And you are right, using the 6560 chip to identify the controller is not very insightful.Anyway, I would be interested in building an isolation board if I could do it cheap. At least for pin 14. I just need someone with some knowlege on the subject. Thanks for the tips and links.

Just a quick note. We do not advertise the enclosure any more but we had a bunch of them left over. They are not being made any longer; it was these cards that was unable to keep up with the demand of the "All-in-One" kit we had last August. I can't wait until we have a Zen-made card back on the website. We have one in development, but, until we finish the design and fully test it, we'll have to wait.

Anyway, in the interim, we are working with CNC Geeker's (Univelop) TB6560 card.

I haven't tried, but in Mach3 you can define new Input/Output devices. If you create a new "Output" connection on the EStop port (10), and then set the spindle to communicate with that port (in the Spindle Setup tab) - it might work. I'll find out when I get back to my house this evening (or maybe tomorrow). I'll also see if Xin has a few more enclosure cards. Maybe he'll swap a few out, but no promises

Claytonc wrote:Do I need to isolate all pins or can I only isolate pin 14 by itself some how? Otherwise, for the cost, I might as well buy another controller board that has the relay option.

You only need one pin per function and there are many hobbyiest projects that use the parallel port to drive relays in applications other than CNC, so it's the same technique. Pin 14 is reserved for X Enable on the 2011 controller board. You can remap or assign pins in Mach 3, but no output pins are available to connect your spindle relay to on the controller board. Pin 10 is an input pin. Pins 16 and 19 (like 14) are bi-directional, but unavailable on the controller board.Personally I don't think turning the spindle on or off under program control is all that important. Most times you'd only be saving yourself a single mouse click over flipping a switch. In a panic situation, hitting a switch is easier and much quicker than finding the mouse and positioning it on screen, at least for me. Either way you've probably already broken a bit.

Claytonc wrote: Also, I'm a little confused about your last statement. You said, "unlike the 2011 model which requires a separate to9-12VDC input." Mine requires a 7 to 9v and a 12v power supply.

Sparky, I have to disagree about the spindle bit. (No pun intended) I think having the software start and stop the spindle is ideal. It would stop and you would know that its time to change a bit or you might not remember to turn it on every time before continuing the code. I know you can start and stop the spindle using the software itself but I'm more interested in the machine using the G-code to do that and the machine being as efficient as it can be. If at all possible, I would much rather have the feature/option than not.

About your last post. I wasn't correcting you about the voltage. I was trying to figure out if the 6560 that I have is a 2011 or a much older card. I think the one I have is the one that has been available long before the 2010 box came out. I don't know this for fact and that’s why I questioned what you had said.